Shoe form



Dec. 17, 1929. w, J, E wrr'r 1,740,157

snom FORM Filed April 25, 1929 Patented Dec. 17, 1929 ,UNlTED STATESPATENT OFFICE WILLIAM J. DE WITT, OF AUBURN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO SHOEFORM CO., INC., OF AUBURN, NEW YORK, ACORPORATION OF NEW YORK SHOE FORM1 Application filed April "25,

This invention relates to animprovement in shoe forms moreparticularlyin shoe forms of resilient material comprising a hollow toe member and across bar by which the walls 1 of the toe member may be expanded orcontracted. It is desirable in shoe forms of this type that means beprovided whereby the same form may be used-for a plurality of Widths ofshoes and that such means include holding or'limiting elements sothat'the form maybe set to any desired width and when so set will remainin't'hat position.

The primary object of this'invention is to provide such a'shoe form,comprising a toe member and a cross bar, with means whereby the positionof the cross bar and the consequent width of the form can be definitelyset and furthermore whereby the particular width of any shoe can bereadily determined by an inspection of the shoe form.

A further object ofthe invention is to provide means whereby the toemember may be i set to any definite width or may be expanded orcontracted Without the necessity of expanding or contracting the memberat any time beyond a certain predetermined limit, the increase 'ordecrease in width being at all times a gradual operation. In thisconnection it may be noted that shoe forms having this general purposehave been previously made but, the operation of increasing or decreasingthe width of the toe member can not be performed while in a shoe sincethe toe member must be expanded beyond its normal limits as its width isincreased or decreased, an expansion that would be resisted by the wallsof the shoe.

In-the accompanying drawings are illustrated several embodiments of thisinvention in which drawings:

Fig. 1 is a bottom plan view of a shoe form illustrating one embodimentof this invention in which the walls may be increased or de- Jcreased inwidth, the position of the walls of thememberwhen in the contractedposition being indicated in full lines and when in expanded positionbeing indicated dotted lines; R w 7 Fig. 2- is a view si'milarin 'allrespects to 1929'. serial no; 357,947.

illustrating another embodiment of Referring to, the embodimentillustratedin Figs. 1, 3 and4 the reference numeral 10 indicates a toemember the walls of which are connected'by a cross bar 11 which acts toexpand or contractthe walls and to hold them in thedesired relation toeachother. One sidewall of the toe member terminates in a flange 15 andthe opposite side Wall in a corresponding flange 16. In the flange .16is formed a curved or arcuate slot 17 and a portion 18 ofthe edge of theflange 16 outside,

and beside the slot 17 is upset or turned up and'provided with a seriesof pockets 19. The pockets 19 in the present instance are formed bycutting notches in the edge of the upturned portion 18.

' The cross bar 11 is pivotally secured at oneend to the flange 15. inany suitable manner as by a rivet 20. The other end of the cross bar 11is attached to a button 21 within the slot 17 the ends of the buttonbeing expanded at 22 and 23 to insure that the button is held within theslot and to facilitate the connection'of the cross bar thereto. Thecross bar, thus secured at one'end, to the rivet 20 and at .thelotherend to the button 21, extends over the upset portion 18 of the flange 16and normally'rests in one of the pockets 19. (See Fig.4.)

Thefpockets 19 hold the cross bar 11 in any desired position anddetermine the width of the toe member lO. 1 Obviously the particularpocket in Which the crossbar 11 rests indi cates a width of. the toe-member and conseqncntly the wi dth of the shoe with which such toemember cooperates.

The embodiment shown in Figures 2, 5 and 6 comprises a toe member and across bar 31, the side walls of the toe member 30 terminating in flanges35, 36 and the flange 36 being provided with a slot 37. Between theinner edge of the flange 36 and the slot 37 the material is upset toform a plurality of bosses 38 spaced apart to provide pockets 39. Thecross bar 31 is pivotally secured to the flange by suitable means, suchas a rivet 40, and is attached to a button 41 in the slot 37 havingexpanded ends 42, 43. The cross bar 31 extends over the pockets 39 whichare arranged to receive. the cross bar and hold it yieldingly in anydesired position.

The pockets 39 of this embodiment function as holding or limiting meansin the same way as do the pockets 19 of the other embodiment and theoperation and purpose of this second embodiment is the same as that ofthe first embodiment.

Thus the upset portions defining a pocket present resistance to thepivotal movement of the cross baras it leaves the pocket.

The embodiment shown in Figs. 7 and 8 is similar to that shown in Figs.2, 5 and 6 differing therefrom in the contour of the upset bossesprovided in the flange 36 between the slot and the inner edge thereof.The bosses d5 of this embodiment are elongated thus providinglongitudinally extending pockets l6 which receive the cross bar 31 andyieldingly resist its pivotal movement. The

bosses 45 preferably diverge outwardly, the pockets 46 being on radiifrom the rivet as a center, and may, if desired, terminate short of theedge. I

The guiding means of each embodiment comprise an arcuate siot and aguide member, which is shown in each as a button. The guide member isattached to one end of the cross bar and thus the guiding means providea sliding engagement between the cross bar and one flange of the toemember.

Moreover it will be noted that in each embodiment the movement of thecross. bar in expanding or contracting the toe member is smooth,continuous and uninterrupted, the holding or limiting means associatedwith the slotted flange offering merely a yielding resistance to themovement of the cross bar. Such means raise the cross bar vertically butdo not cause any longitudinal or horizontal movement thereof and in noway affect the expanding or contracting movement of the walls of the toemember. Hence the cross bar may be shifted while within the shoe withoutimposing any undue strain thereon, whereas in the type previously knownthis is not the case. It is accordingly necessary to set the form of thepreviously known type at the desired width before inserting it in theshoe while a form embodying this invention may be inserted in the shoein its most contraoted position and later expanded smoothly andcontinuously to the desired amount, the reaching of which can be easilyascertained by noting the pocket by which the movement of the cross baris yieldingly resisted.

lVhile three embodiments only have been shown'and described I am notlimited thereto since other embodiments can be made without departingfrom the spirit and scope of inven-' tion set forthin the followingclaims:

1. A shoe form comprising a hollow toe member of resilient material, across bar pivotally attached at one end to one wall of the toe memberand guiding means associated with the opposite wall of the member andwith the other end of the crossbar whereby the pivotal movement of thecross bar causes the width of the toe member to increase ordecrease,anda plurality of means independent of the guiding means for engagingthe cross bar and resisting its pivotal movement and the consequentchange in the width of the toe member. I v

2. A shoe form comprising a hollow toe member of resilient material, across bar pivotally attached atone end to one wall of the V otallyattached at one end to one wall of the toe member and guiding meansassociated with the opposite wallof the member and with the other end ofthe cross bar whereby the pivotal movement of the cross bar causes thewidth of thetoe member to increase or decrease, and a plurality of meansassociated with one wall of the toe member and independentof the guidingmeans for engaging the cross bar and resisting its pivotal. move mentand the consequent change in the width.

of the toe member.

4 A. shoe form comprising a hollow toe member of resilient material, across barpivotally attached at one end to one wall of the toe member andguiding means associated with the opposite wallof the member and withthe other end of the cross bar whereby the pivotal movement of the crossbar causes the width of the toe member to increase or decrease, and aplurality of meansassociated with the wall of the toe member with whichthe guiding means is associated and independant of such means forengaging the cross bar and resisting its pivotal movement and theconsequent change in the width of the toe member.

5. A shoe form comprising a hollow toe member of resilient material thewalls of which are flanged, one flange having a slot therein, a crossbar pivoted at one end to the other flange, and a guide member in saidslot to which the other end of the cross bar is secured, whereby uponthe pivotal movement of the cross bar the guide member is moved in theslot and the width of the toe member increased or diminished, and apluralityof means independent of the slot for holding the cross barstationary and the toe member at any of several predetermined widths.

6. A shoe form comprising a hollow toe member of resilient material thewalls of which are flanged, one flange having a slot therein, a crossbar pivoted at one end to the other flange, and a guide member in saidslot to which the other end of the cross bar is secured, whereby uponthe pivotal movement of thecross bar the guide member is moved in theslot and the width of the toe member increased or diminished, and aplurality of means independent of the guide member adapted to engage thecross bar and hold it stationary thus arresting the toe member at any ofseveral predetermined widths.

7. .A shoe form comprising a hollow toe member of resilient material,the walls of the toe member being flanged, a series of pocketsassociated with one of the flanges, a cross bar pivotally secured to theother of the flanges and guiding means independent of said pockets,which means upon the pivotal movement of the cross bar provide a slidingengagement between the cross bar and the pockets-associated flange, eachof said pockets being adapted to receive said cross bar and hold ityieldingly in a predetermined position.

8. A shoe form comprising a hollow toe member of resilient material, thewalls of the toe member being flanged, a series of pockets associatedwith one of the flanges, a cross barflpivotally secured to the other ofthe flanges, said pockets-associated flange being provided with guidingmeans independentof the pockets, and including a movable gu1d-h ingmember to which member said cross bar is atached whereby a slidingengagement between the cross bar and the flange is provided, eachof saidpockets being adapted to receive saidcross bar and hold the movableguiding member in a predetermined position.

9. A shoe form comprising a hollow toe member of resilient material, thewalls of the member being flanged, one of said flanges having a curvedguiding slot therein, a cross bar pivoted at one end to the other ofsaid flanges, a guiding member movable in said slot and associated withthe cross bar whereby upon the pivotal movement of the cross bar themember is moved in the slot and the width of the toe member increased ordimin ished and means associated with said slotted flange andindependent of said slot with which means thecross bar engages to holdthe toe member at the width determined by the pivotal movement of thecross bar.

10. A shoe form comprising a hollow toe member of resilient material,the walls of the member being flanged, one of said flanges having acurved guiding slot therein, a cross bar pivoted at one end to the otherof said flanges, a button movable in the slot and attached to the otherend of the cross bar whereby upon the pivotal movement of the cross barthe button is moved in the slot and the width of the toe memberincreased or diminished and a series of pockets on the slotted flangeand independent of the slot which pockets engage the cross bar andthereby yieldingly prevent a change in the width of the toe member.

11. A shoe form comprising a hollow toe member of resilient material,the walls of the member being flanged, one of said flanges having acurved guiding slot therein, a cross bar pivoted at one end to the otherof said flanges, a button movable in the slot and attached to the otherend of the cross bar Whereby upon the pivotal movement of the cross barthe button is moved in the slot and the width of the toe memberincreased or diminished, and a series of pockets formed in the slottedflange, adjacent to but independent of the slot which pockets engage thecross bar to hold the toe member against any change in width.

12. A shoe form comprising a hollow toe member of resilient material,the walls of the member being flanged, one of said flanges having acurved guiding slot therein, a cross bar pivoted at one end to the otherof said flanges, a button movable in the slot and attached to the otherend of the cross bar whereby upon the pivotal movement of the cross barthe button is moved in the slot and the width of the toe memberincreased or diminished and a series of pockets intermediate the ends ofthe cross bar and independent of the slot which pockets are adapted toengage the cross bar during its pivotal movement and yieldingly preventa change in the width of the toe member.

Signed by me at Auburn, N. Y. this 18th day of April, 1929.

WILLIAM J. DE VITT.

